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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27643409">Naudr</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HysteriaLevi/pseuds/HysteriaLevi'>HysteriaLevi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kauna [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Assassin's Creed - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:35:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,393</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27643409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HysteriaLevi/pseuds/HysteriaLevi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eivor finally confesses the romantic feelings he has for Sigurd on the night of his return to Norway.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sigurd Styrbjornson/Eivor Wolfkissed, Sigurd Styrbjornson/Eivor Wolfsmal, Sigurd Styrbjornson/Male Eivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kauna [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Naudr</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">

        <li>
          Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: 
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644953">需要</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xylophone323/pseuds/Xylophone323">Xylophone323</a>
        </li>


    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welllll, here it is. My Sigurd fanfic. I gotta admit I’m nervous about sharing this since it’s my first time writing anything AC related, and I don’t even know if anyone else ships these two, but I hope you guys enjoy it &gt;.&lt;</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>FORNBURG</p>
<p>NIGHTTIME</p>
<p>Sigurd froze on the spot and stared silently at the man in front of him, unable to process what just happened.</p>
<p>Did... Eivor just kiss him?</p>
<p>At first, Sigurd simply dismissed the romantic gesture as the actions of someone who had enjoyed too many cups of mead, but the shock on Eivor’s face told him otherwise.</p>
<p>He meant to do it -- at least, part of him did -- and now, it was fairly obvious that the regret was starting to sink in. His cheeks had become tinted with a faint shade of red, and the merry demeanor he once carried had been replaced with a state of panic.</p>
<p>Suddenly realizing what he had done, Eivor quickly glanced at the tankard in his grip and brought his gaze to the floor, doing his absolute best to avoid all eye contact with Sigurd.</p>
<p>“I-- I, um...” he stuttered, desperately trying to offer an explanation, “Oh, Gods, Sigurd... I’m so sorry. I... I shouldn’t have.”</p>
<p>The older man let out a soft chuckle, patting Eivor on the shoulder.</p>
<p>“Do not fear, brother. We all make fools of ourself from time to time. It’s the natural gift of drink. It unwinds the most hardened of men, and opens the hearts of the most reserved. But tonight is a night meant for celebration! Drink all the mead you wish.”</p>
<p>Eivor clearly wasn’t reassured by his brother’s words and simply kept his eyes on the ground, admittedly ashamed of his reckless behavior.</p>
<p>“...You are kind, Sigurd, but...” the man placed his tankard down on a nearby table, hanging his head low in embarrassment, “I think... I need to be alone right now.”</p>
<p>Sigurd furrowed his brow at the response, suddenly concerned about his brother’s well-being.</p>
<p>“Eivor,” he said in a gentler tone, “it’s alright. I mean it. It was a simple mistake, one I’m sure we’ve all made when we had alcohol clouding our minds. Do not fret.”</p>
<p>“A mistake...” Eivor repeated quietly, almost sounding... hurt by the comment. “Yes. A mistake.”</p>
<p>Sigurd gave his brother another hearty pat on the arm, attempting to keep his spirits up.</p>
<p>“Exactly. So, cheer up. The night is still young... and our casks are still far too full. Ha!”</p>
<p>But his jokes did little to comfort the man. Instead of returning to his usual state of sarcasm and humor like Sigurd expected, Eivor’s expression remained sunken with melancholy, and it seemed as if his mood was only deteriorating.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Sigurd,” he said lowly, “but... I think I’ll leave the celebrating to you for now. I... I need fresh air.”</p>
<p>Turning away from his brother, the younger man didn’t even give Sigurd a chance to respond before making a swift exit from the longhouse, eager to remove himself from the thick crowds of people and the boisterous guffaws of excitement that echoed throughout the halls.</p>
<p>It was strange, Sigurd thought, to see Eivor act in such a way. The man had done plenty of other silly things in the past while under the influence of mead -- some of them arguably worse than this -- and yet, one simple kiss was enough to completely sour his mood.</p>
<p>What was going on with him? Did something happen that he had yet to tell Sigurd about? Why was he being so distant?</p>
<p>There was more going on here than the younger man let on, but Sigurd didn’t know if it was the right time to pry.</p>
<p>His brother was clearly going through enough distress at the moment, after all, and the older man didn’t want to push him any further.</p>
<p>Perhaps it was time for the older man to step away from the feast. There was no question that Eivor was preoccupied with something more serious, and Sigurd did not wish to let his brother deal with it alone.</p>
<p>So, with a quick goodbye, Sigurd hurriedly downed the rest of his mead and bid the other guests farewell, rushing after Eivor to see where he had gone. </p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>A FEW MINUTES LATER</p>
<p>Tearing himself away from the warmth of the longhouse, Sigurd trudged through the thick layers of snow that covered the region as he followed Eivor’s chain of footprints, worriedly searching for his absent brother.</p>
<p>Judging by the direction of the tracks, Sigurd assumed the younger man had retreated to the harbor, and that alone was enough to heighten his sense of concern.</p>
<p>Eivor never went to the harbor unless he was experiencing something profoundly troubling. It was the one place Sigurd would find him whenever he was going through loss, or heartache, or any sort of pain, really.</p>
<p>Something about the vastness of the fjord always seemed to set Eivor’s mind at ease. The sheer scale of the mountains made him feel as if there were stone guardians watching over their village, and the way the lights danced freely in the sky offered him a hypnotic solace.</p>
<p>It was the location of many of the deep conversations the two brothers had shared. The nature of the open view seemed to draw out their thoughts like nothing else, and Sigurd imagined they were about to have another one of those moments today.</p>
<p>He just hoped he’d be able to get Eivor to talk.</p>
<p>Finally reaching the harbor, Sigurd came to a halt and searched for the younger man, only to find him sitting at the end of the wooden pier.</p>
<p>His legs were hanging off the edge, and considering how his head bowed downwards, Sigurd guessed he was fidgeting with something in his hands. Though, he couldn’t see what it was from here.</p>
<p>As for the man himself, his mood appeared to be equally as sullen as when he first took his leave, if not more. There was no joy in his temperament; no motivation. It was as if the kiss from before had sucked the very life out of him, and Sigurd feared that his mere presence would not be enough to help Eivor.</p>
<p>Still, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.</p>
<p>“Eivor.” He called out gently, casually approaching him from behind. “There you are.”</p>
<p>The younger man glanced over his shoulder upon hearing his name, seemingly unsurprised that Sigurd had followed him.</p>
<p>“Brother.” He greeted quietly. “I had a feeling you would come looking for me.”</p>
<p>“Of course I would,” Sigurd replied plainly. “You disappeared from the feast so abruptly. I feared something was wrong.”</p>
<p>The older man paused for a moment and took a seat next to his brother, quietly admiring the majestic view as the night carried on.</p>
<p>By now, the Northern Lights had illuminated the dark sky with a radiant turquoise glow, and the way the sea mirrored its wispy movement made Sigurd feel as if they were gazing into the wonders of Valhalla itself.</p>
<p>“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sigurd remarked in awe. “They say the Valkyries use the light as a road to escort the honored dead to Valhalla. There are other places in the world that I must show you someday, Eivor, but it brings me great relief to finally be back in Norway.” He turned to his brother, smiling warmly at him. “I missed being here with you.”</p>
<p>Contrary to what Sigurd expected, the comment only seemed to sadden Eivor further.</p>
<p>“...I missed you too, Sigurd.” The man replied, his voice barely above a whisper.</p>
<p>“Eivor, what’s wrong?” Sigurd asked, picking up on his brother’s despondent tone. “Did something happen today? You’ve been acting strange ever since that kiss.”</p>
<p>Eivor sighed in discontent, reluctant to share his thoughts.</p>
<p>“I do not wish to burden you, brother.”</p>
<p>“You are anything but a burden, Eivor,” Sigurd answered, quick to defend him. “We are family. If there’s something that troubles you, I want to know.”</p>
<p>“...It’s nothing worth mentioning. Really.”</p>
<p>“It clearly is,” he persisted. “Really.”</p>
<p>Despite his eagerness to help Eivor, Sigurd couldn’t help but wonder if he was perhaps being too forceful with the man. Randvi always told him he was too forward with people -- especially in situations that required diplomacy -- and in the past, Sigurd would’ve disagreed with her.</p>
<p>But now... part of him worried that he was just making things worse.</p>
<p>Maybe it would’ve been best to leave Eivor alone with his thoughts. He clearly wasn’t willing to talk about whatever was on his mind, and Sigurd suspected that the more he pushed the man, the more he would simply close him off.</p>
<p>But... still. There was a part of him that refused to leave Eivor’s side. He was his big brother, after all, and the last thing he wanted was to abandon him when he was clearly going through a time of need.</p>
<p>“Eivor.” Sigurd said softly, leaning towards the man. “Talk to me.”</p>
<p>Letting out a deep sigh, Eivor shut his eyes in defeat and gazed downwards at the tranquil movement of the ocean, allowing the icy breeze of the fjord to help him relax.</p>
<p>He feared how his brother would react once he knew the truth, but deep down, he knew he couldn’t hold this feeling in anymore. It was poisoning him from the inside out -- afflicting him like an illness that just wouldn’t go away.</p>
<p>It changed the way he saw the world. The way he interacted with people. There had already been more than a few occasions where Eivor caught himself being unreasonably bitter towards others, and the frustration that came with it only increased his pain.</p>
<p>But he knew he couldn’t carry on like this. He had to find a remedy for his unanswered love, or suffer the consequences of it soon. </p>
<p>He was hurting on the inside, and perhaps... Sigurd would be the key to his recovery. </p>
<p>He just had to take a leap of faith.</p>
<p>“Sigurd,” Eivor finally said, his heart hammering in his chest, “The truth is... I’m in love with you.”</p>
<p>Offering nothing but silence in return, Sigurd simply stared at his brother incredulously upon hearing the confession and sat quietly beside him, completely at a loss for words.</p>
<p>His expression had barely shifted in response to what Eivor said, but the younger man could still tell that he was shocked.</p>
<p>Sigurd’s eyes appeared as if they had been fixated in place, and the way his smile subtly vanished caused Eivor to wonder if he had just made a terrible mistake.</p>
<p>“Brother?” Eivor asked. “Have you nothing to say?”</p>
<p>The older man remained still for a few more moments before finally turning away from Eivor and blinking in confusion, almost as if he were snapping out of his trance-like state. He flicked his eyes around in hopes of trying to appear calm, but both of them knew he was just as conflicted as his brother.</p>
<p>“I...” Sigurd whispered in disbelief, “...I don’t know what to say, Eivor.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright. You don’t have to say anything. It’s a secret I’ve kept to myself for many years now, and I never planned to give it away. Though, it’s clear that Freyja disagreed.”</p>
<p>“But I’m your sibling, Eivor,” the older man stated. “Your family. Does that not hinder your passion?”</p>
<p>Eivor shook his head. “You may be my family, Sigurd, but the truth is I never saw you as a brother. Even after your father adopted me. You were always just my friend. The one person who I could always trust. And as I grew older, that trust turned into something else. I found myself falling in love with you, the same way a man would love his wife... but I knew I couldn’t say anything.”</p>
<p>“You never considered telling me?” Sigurd questioned. “Not even once? Even after all these years? How long have you felt this way?”</p>
<p>“Ever since I was a very young man,” Eivor recalled. “Even before you married Randvi.”</p>
<p>A sudden thought crossed Sigurd’s mind at the mention of Randvi’s name.</p>
<p>“And what of my wife? What are your feelings towards her?”</p>
<p>Eivor’s expression dimmed with shame, and he gazed down at the water beneath his feet.</p>
<p>“...Although I’m not proud to admit it, I have envied her in the past. I bear no ill will towards Randvi, but... it’s always pained me to look at her and realize that I’ll never be in her position. I know it’s selfish to feel that way, but that doesn’t make my thoughts any less real.”</p>
<p>Sigurd nodded in understanding. “Of course.”</p>
<p>The older man shifted in his seat a little, appearing somewhat more relaxed than before.</p>
<p>“Well, if it’s any consolation, Eivor, I must confess that I’ve never experienced true love with Randvi. As terrible as that may sound.”</p>
<p>Eivor quirked a brow in surprise. “But she’s your wife.”</p>
<p>Sigurd chuckled at that. “Yes, and I married her purely for political reasons. Don’t forget that our marriage was an arranged one. I hardly had the chance to say ‘no’ before we were declared husband and wife. We were complete strangers at the time. You could’ve had me wed the barmaid from the local tavern and I wouldn’t have known the difference.”</p>
<p>Eivor cracked a small smile at the humorous response. “But you love her now, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“Ah...” Sigurd sighed, crossing his arms, “Randvi is a fine woman and an even greater friend, but she wasn’t meant for me. To be honest, I don’t think I was meant for her either.”</p>
<p>“...I’m sorry to hear that, Sigurd.” Eivor said sincerely. “It must be hard, being in a marriage that you didn’t choose.”</p>
<p>The older man didn’t seem bothered. “It’s not that I’m not happy with Randvi. Like I said, she’s become a good friend over the years. I just...” Sigurd leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “I feel as though I’m not with the person I should be. As if... they’re still out there somewhere.”</p>
<p>Eivor smirked, scooting closer to Sigurd. “I could recommend a few people, if you’d like.”</p>
<p>The redheaded viking laughed. “Oh? I can’t imagine who you’d pick.”</p>
<p>The younger man returned the chuckle. “Well, I suppose it depends on what you’re interested in. Though, I do know a man who’d be perfect for you.” </p>
<p>Eivor paused for a second, suddenly realizing something. “...Wait, do you even like men, Sigurd?”</p>
<p>Sigurd hesitated to answer, unsure of how to properly express himself.</p>
<p>“I... can’t deny that a few men have caught my eye in the past. But I never fully explored these thoughts, for I did not wish to jeopardize my marriage. Nor did I want to risk being called an ergi everywhere I went.”</p>
<p>Eivor was surprised by the answer. “I... had no idea you felt that way, Sigurd. But why should you care if someone calls you ergi? Those who would scold you in such a manner aren’t worth the dirt on your boots.”</p>
<p>“I wish it were that simple, but being the son of a king, people expect you to meet higher standards. They expect you to bring honor to your family. And besides, you know the consequences of scolding. I have no desire to engage in a holmgang every time someone throws an insult at me.” </p>
<p>Sigurd gave his brother a solemn look, mindlessly reaching for his hand. “There’s also the fact that I did not want to disappoint you.”</p>
<p>Catching himself before their hands could meet, Sigurd’s eyes widened in realization as he saw what he was doing and instantly pulled back his arm, retreating as if he had just touched an open flame.</p>
<p>Much to his embarrassment however, the action did not go unnoticed by Eivor, and the younger man quickly leaned closer to his brother, feeling the need to console him.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, Sigurd.” He reassured gently. “You don’t have to return my feelings for you.”</p>
<p>The older man furrowed his brow in deep thought, clearly conflicted about the situation.</p>
<p>“But... I do.” He blurted out, stumbling over his words. “I mean-- I think I... what I’m trying to say is--”</p>
<p>Sigurd let out a deep sigh, his head drooping in frustration.</p>
<p>“By the gods...” he murmured, dragging a hand down his face, “do you have any idea the effect you have on the minds of men, Eivor?”</p>
<p>The blond man giggled warmly, trying not to laugh too much. “I think I have a pretty good idea.”</p>
<p>Sigurd turned to face Eivor, his head spinning with a plethora of emotions. He hadn’t even realized it until tonight, but a part of him seemed to share the man’s love for him. He wasn’t entirely certain what type of love it was just yet, or if he would be able to act on it, but even he couldn’t deny that there was definitely a spark between them; a flame that had been stifled for far too long.</p>
<p>And it frightened him to the core to think about it.</p>
<p>“Listen, Eivor,” Sigurd said, his tone more serious now, “...I don’t know what I’m feeling right now, or what this is. I don’t even know if these emotions are genuine, or if they’re just a result of too much mead, but...”</p>
<p>He slowly brought a hand up to Eivor’s cheek, gently holding him in place as he voiced his thoughts. “I think... I could love you, too.”</p>
<p>Eivor’s heart fluttered with happiness upon hearing that, but in spite of the joy it brought him, he could still see that Sigurd wasn’t quite ready to come to terms with his newfound love. So, with a delicate touch, Eivor lowered his brother’s hand from his cheek and held it between them, gazing into the man’s eyes.</p>
<p>“It’s alright if you need more time to think about this, Sigurd. There’s no need to rush into it. I understand it’s... a lot to process.”</p>
<p>Eivor brought his face closer to Sigurd’s, speaking softly in his ear. “But when you’re ready -- if your thoughts bring you back to me -- I’ll be here.”</p>
<p>He placed a small kiss on Sigurd’s cheek, causing the other man to smile warmly as he continued to keep Eivor’s hand in his grasp.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Eivor.” He whispered affectionately. “You were always there for me.”</p>
<p>The younger man reached into his pocket and pulled out the object he had been fidgeting with earlier, revealing the same arm ring that his father instructed him to give Styrbjorn on the night of Kjotve’s attack.</p>
<p>“And I always will be, even if you don’t return my love.”</p>
<p>Taking the arm ring from Eivor, Sigurd held it securely in his grip as the two of them fell into a comforting silence and quietly enjoyed the serenity of the nature around them, leaning against one another on the pier.</p>
<p>At this point in the night, the aurora in the sky had become a series of aqua-colored waves that soared gently across the stars like water on a shore, painting the environment with an icy tint. </p>
<p>There were streaks of magenta fading in and out of view as they elegantly clung onto the ripples of blue light gliding through the air, and the longer Eivor gazed into their radiance, the more he found himself melting into Sigurd’s strong embrace.</p>
<p>Even though there was no guarantee that the man’s feelings for him would be mutual, or that he would be willing to put his thoughts into action, Eivor was still grateful that he finally opened up to him.</p>
<p>For years, the pain of feeling ignored and unloved had rotted his soul, and as the days went by, he found it harder and harder to conceal his true emotions. He had grown careless and ill-tempered from having to constantly suppress his jealousy of Ranvdi, and he nearly got his entire crew killed by Kjotve because of it.</p>
<p>But now that Sigurd was aware of his love, Eivor felt a new sense of peace settling into his heart.</p>
<p>There was still a chance that he wouldn’t get the outcome he wanted -- and he knew not what the Nornir had planned for him -- but even then, he was certain now that he could always trust Sigurd with his thoughts, no matter how daunting they may’ve been. </p>
<p>That man would never judge him, or love him any less because of who he was. He would always be there to help guide him, and offer him sanctuary in a world that was so full of cruelty.</p>
<p>Sigurd was the true love of Eivor’s life, and it would always be that way. </p>
<p>From here to Valhalla.</p>
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